By Ishola Balogun
Austine Young, a former Chairman of Police Community Relations Committee, PCRC, in Rivers State and now the National Organising Secretary of the committe in this interview tells the untold story of the former Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, Mr Joseph Mbu, now AIG Zone 2 and what led to the frosty relationship between the CP and the governor. Austine who is also the Publisher and CEO of AGV Multi-Project says that the negative perception of Mbu was as a result of the superior propaganda machinery of the state government.

The roles of PCRC

Community policing is a philosophy and not just a department. Some people think it is a formation that the local government should control it just like people talk about state police. It is rather an organisational structure in community partnership in order to address the issue of crime in the society. So, the emphasis on community relations is to think of a solution when a problem arises. The police admit they cannot do it alone, so, they have to partner with the community because, essentially, it is the community that benefits from these arrangements; they benefit from the police product. If you go a little further, we also look at Community Safety Partnership, where we pool ideas and resources together in order to address the priority of the people’s need in a particular geographical area. For instance, the way you police Sokoto may not be the way you police Rivers State or Lagos State.

Community policing has entrenched human rights values because we always emphasis that you must respect the human rights, you must be accountable to the people, you must see people as your partners. It operates on tenets of the five elements of community policing; these are quality service delivery; partnership; empowerment; problem solving and accountability. In partnership, it is not a master-servant kind of relationship, but two equal parties with common interest. And in this case, the interest is the security of lives and property of the people in the community.

That is what the Police Community Relations Committee promotes. It was formed by the then Inspector General, Etim Iyang in 1984 and it has since been structured from the division to the national level. Last year, the present Inspector General had to dissolve the executive of the formation and reconstituted the body. So, I left as the the state Chairman and became the Organising Secretary at the national level.

Joseph Mbu

How did you relate with past CPs and what is your view of Joseph Mbu as the CP in Rivers State

I met Joseph Mbu when he was CP Rivers State, then I was the chairman of the PCR of the State. I did not just rise to become the State Chairman and National Organising Secretary, I started from my Division. I was the Secretary of the Division, and one-time Chairman of Port-Harcourt metropolis. I have worked with different policemen, DPOs, Area Commanders, Commissioners of Police. Where there was an issue between the Commissioners and the people, I would always come out to issue a statement.

The PCRC is neither for the police nor the community; it is a bridge between the two. When Dabawa was the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, there was a false accusation on him which led to a protest calling for his removal. Incidentally, he was in America, when the incident happened. So, I came out to issue a statement that it would be unfair to have Dabawa removed because of the incident that led to the death of some students. Police had gone there begging the people to leave, but they refused. Also, when Bala Hassan also had problems with Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, involving one DPO and lady journalist, I mediated between the two parties and we resolved the issue.

Why was the situation different in the case of Mbu and the governor?

It was a personality issue. Joseph Mbu is a thorough bred professional police office. He is a man who does not want any interference when doing his job. He likes to draw a line, he understands the need to work with the public and the need to protect the less privileged. Interestingly, he worked in a state where the Governor saw himself as the Commander-in-chief and the Commissioner of Police, an appendage of one of his ministries. The Governor, more-or-less talked to the Commissioner of Police the way he talked to his appointed aides. And when the Commissioner of Police did not take to that, they began to have strained relationship. For instance, if the governor wanted to hold a meeting with his commanders, he would ask his Aide De Camp (ADC) an Acting Assistant Superintendent of Police to call the CP to a security meeting. It happened a few times and the PC later felt that it a direct contact with the governor would be better for better policing of the state.

The CP would say ‘if you want a security meeting, you call me yourself and set the agenda to be discussed.’ Mbu maintained that the Governor is the Chief Security Officer and in his absence, it is the Commissioners of Police as far as security issues are concerned. Mbu also told him that it was better to have a mutual relationship. But that did not go down well with the governor. Again, as expected, in security operations, some people may accept to tow the same line with the governor while others may not, but in the case of Mbu, he was not disobedient to the governor; I emphasise that, he only wanted to do his work the way it should be done. That appeared to be the genesis of the conflict.

Again, a local newspaper in Port-Harcourt published that fifteen journalists were given money to run down the CP, but no journalist came up to deny the story neither did they call the publisher to make clarification of the allegation. You can see that it was a deliberate and concerted effort to ensure that Mbu was discredited in the state.

The governor himself had said it severally that he would not fund the state police because of Mbu. But the same Police Commissioner that he refused to fund achieved far more than any Commissioner before him.

For instance, he repaired six abandoned Armoured Personnel Carriers, APC; refurbished more than 26 abandoned patrol vehicles; he renovated the police headquarters and the officer’s quarters along Hospital Avenue; he did the roofing and other things and also the POWA secretariat, he made a lot of changes. There were abandoned sets of computers, he repaired and put them into use. Such a Commissioner, we can understand when you hear particularly in the electronic media that people demonstrated against him, they don’t show those who demonstrated in his support. In 2013, some women came up in black attire to demonstrate, we heard they were paid N10,000 to do that.

How did you know?

Some of them were complaining: “I have not received my N10,000.” Another group of women came up and said Mbu must stay. This is because people saw the work he did. During that time, crime rate in the state reduced, kidnapping also reduced and generally, the security situation in the state improved. They also saw a commissioner of police who will not take unnecessary orders.

But he was seen and believed to be taking orders from Abuja and as you know, he who pays the piper…

(Cuts in) That is the misconception. In the first place, do you know that he didn’t like to go to Rivers State? The same feat that he recorded in Rivers state, refurbishing patrol vehicles and renovating quarters were achieved in Oyo State. He renovated the Commissioners quarters in the state which is about the best in the country today apart from that of Rivers state. Within six months, the IG transferred him. And for about one week after his transfer, he was still in Ibadan.  So, one night, the IG called, and because he had a special ringing tone for his boss, people there including his wife knew it was from the IG.

The caller said: “You mean you are still in Ibadan? What are you doing there? If you don’t get to Port-Harcourt before 9am tomorrow, we will issue you a query.” So, that same night, he got to Lagos and took the first flight the following morning to Port-Harcourt. On getting to Port-Harcourt airport, he met the First lady who came to Port-Harcourt that same day. He had to provide security for the First Lady. That was the begining of his problem because he was thereafter accused of being a PDP card carrying member. His arrival and First Lady’s visit probably gave a wrong impression. The first time he met the President himself was at Minna, Niger State when he was AIG, Zone 7.

In Oyo State, there was a little misunderstanding between him and the governor. The governor had set up a joint patrol team made up of Police, Army, Navy, and Air-force. The Police were providing 80 per cent of the personnel but it was either an Army leading the team or Air-force or a Naval Officer. No police officer led any team.

Then Mbu said no, he would not take that, he would rather withdraw his men than having another force lead a team he contribute 80 per cent of the personnel. The governor did not understand that but he later pointed that to the Brigade Commander. He said: “this is not a war situation, it is a civil duty and I can’t produce 80 percent of the men and others will be heading the team. Let us reshuffle it and we will work harmoniously.”

They saw reason in what he was saying and reorganised the setting. The governor was later to open up on his request for a CP that would not be influenced by big men and even himself. The governor wanted an officer who would discharge his duty without fear or favour. After six months, the governor reportedly said he couldn’t believe he was in Ibadan. He said there had not been any major incidence of crime and people could sleep with their eyes closed.

The House of Assembly planned a valedictory session for him on account of this. They wrote the IG begging to send him back for the valedictory session and the IG obliged. So in Rivers, it was an issue of personality problem. The Oyo state governor had once stated that the Mbu was the best Commissioner in Nigeria. That was a man who did not see himself as an overlord. He knew that somebody had a duty and he had to do his work according to the dictates of his conscience.

Austine Young

Again, when he was constructing the quarters, he did not consult the governor, he did it with the collaboration of the bankers’ forum. It was when the governor saw what he was doing that he decided to assist. The same thing in Rivers State, it was some members in the state who said, “You are doing all these and you are not from the state; we will assist you.” So, 98 per cent of people in Rivers State appreciated what he did.

So, why did the people rise against him?

It was pure propaganda. It was propaganda machinery. Adolf Hitler said: “By the skillful and sustained use of propaganda, one can make a people see even heaven as hell or an extremely wretched life as paradise.” They painted issues with their propaganda machinery. What they said he did in Rivers, Abuja and even when he came to Lagos were all propaganda. Immediately he was transferred to Lagos, APC issued a statement that he was coming to deliver the state to the PDP, these are part of the gargantuan lies against him.

He reportedly handed down an order that police should shoot 20 civilians for every policeman killed, how true was that?

He never said that, it is on you-tube. It was made up. On election campaign alone, several policemen died. When Bola Tinubu said ‘rig and roast’ in Osun State, was he going to roast people who found rigging the election? No! It was a psychological warfare. He was sending a message that they would not tolerate rigging.

But did he say that?

No. He didn’t say that. I am saying assuming he said it but he never said so. The point I am making is that the same people who wrote the bad editorial on him, didn’t bother to dispense the same energy on people who said ‘rig and roast.’ Why didn’t they say they are barbaric and other unprintable words they said on Mbu? Why are the press descending on this man, yet they never mentioned the good things he did in Rivers State. I am from Rivers State.

So, why didn’t he speak on all these?

He has made some public advertorials in some papers, dealing with some of these issues.

How did you know all these about him?

If a policeman shoots a civilian, I will be the first to carry placards, because no policeman is allowed to do that. Besides, these days, any policeman who kills a civilian will go in for it. It is not like those days of ‘accidental discharge’. I work with them and I know that these present h airachy of police promotes human rights values. Mbu will always tell his younger officers, that he will personally deal with anyone caught harassing a civilian. He says that every day. His ideas are focused on community partnership, promotion of human rights. We have heard about policemen in this country who abused human rights. Have you heard any about Mbu? Have you heard about any case of corruption against him? No!

There were reports that he aided some form of protest against the state government while he declined to give permission for opposing group of protesters in Rivers State?

No! What happened was that he banned street protest including those ones in his support. But there was a group who called themselves Grassroots Democratic Initiative; he never knew they had political affiliation. It was somebody in the government that called him that these people had political affiliation and he said if you also want to carry out any protest, go and write, I will approve it. So, they wrote and he approved and they had their rally. At the rally, the governor of the state with all the APC dignitaries and party stalwarts in attendance said the Commissioner of police was a PDP card carrying member. Can you imagine that? The same man who approved your rally, you abused him at the rally.

The Rivers State Youth Federation, an umbrella body of the youth gave him an award as the most disciplined Police Officer that has worked in the state.

But why do you think he is so immersed in several controversies?

The question again is that ‘did you hear of him before he went to Rivers State? He was not in the news. He is a silent achiever. When there was high rate of crime in Potiskum, they had security meeting and Mbu was sent to Potiskum, and in less than three months, the criminals took to their heels. As Area Commander in Delta State, he received awards as the best even with a cash gift of N500,00 by the then Governor, James Ibori.

Even in Rivers State where he was bashed, he received award as the Best Crime Bursting Police Chief in Africa and the State Command was also given award as innovative Police Command in Nigeria. Don’t also forget, it was not the people of River State that were protesting against him, it was the government with its propaganda machinery just to rubbish him because he was not carrying out the orders of a man who felt the Commissioner of Police should be under him.

He was also honoured in Ghana; he was given award on Ethical Policing and Professionalism. Sometimes, you don’t value what you have. Find out from the Police education Directorate, he was once a Director there. He gave a face-lift to all police schools facilities in the country, which engendered high academic standards and enrollment into police schools and colleges. He also got books worth over N20million from the United States of America for police schools and colleges in Nigeria free of charge. Go find out his records, he instilled discipline in the Police Mobile Force as PMF Commissioner and gave face lift to decaying infrastructure. So, the employers of Mbu know his value, they will not listen to you when you make those spurious allegations against him. They know the man is an asset for the Police. They know he does not abuse the privileges given to him. So, if you protest against him based on propaganda, of course, his employers will know. So, his employers can judge him better.

What do you think is on the table for Lagos especially in the area of crime prevention and also the apprehension of violence during and after the forthcoming election?

There is no need for panic. Within the few weeks he has spent in Lagos, the attitude of policemen on the street has changed. Do you still commonly see policemen in the state dressing shabbily? They were used to flying out their cloths, wearing slippers or sandals, carrying gun on mufti etc. All these have changed. Quite a number of them who are not disciplined are now in cell. So, he will instill discipline in the police and they will be made to serve the public the way they ought to serve them.

On the conduct of the election, let us not forget that he was the one that supervised the Edo State election which Adams Oshiomhole won. He is not here for any party and he was not posted because of election.  Election could be part of it because he has to ensure that policemen under him supervise the election dispassionately without fear or favour to any political party.

How would you convince Nigerians that you are not doing a hatchet job for Mbu?

This is no hatchet job. You don’t argue with darkness. When you get into a darkroom, the next thing is to switch on the light and darkness will disappear immediately. When he was in Rivers State, there was a particular issue about Chidi Lloyd that he was being maltreated. So, one day, some journalists met him and they insisted they wanted to see Chidi Lloyd. Surprisingly, other journalists that were writing bad things about him never met him to ask him his own side of the story.

He asked the PPRO to take them to Chidi Lloyd. They were surprised to find out that the same Chidi Lloyd was found in air-conditioned office. He was not even in the cell. They broke the story the following day and those people who were claiming he was being maltreated looked stupid. So, there is no hatchet job.

Then, what is your relationship with him?

My relationship with him is not different from that of any other police officer in relation to Police Community Relations partnership. It pains me because when you see people doing a good job and you refuse to appreciate them, it is bad. Something happened in Agungi now, and some people are just calling for the resignation of the Commissioner of Police. It is unfair. I have not come here to do any job for the AIG, but he is somebody I know in and out, somebody who is doing his best for the members of the public. If you meet him one on one, you will know clearly that he is being misjudged.

He is completely different from what people perceive of him. It will also interest you that Mbu is also a philanthropist. In his village, there is no church or pastor that does not receive Christmas gift from him including so many orphans. He is currently training so many orphans and giving other indigent children scholarships. He has been doing this for more than ten years now. He is not a kind of man that will drink a cup of water today and forget tomorrow. He is a very quiet but hardworking officer.